English National Opera (ENO) has been paid by Netflix to put on a "TikTopera", setting the story of Netflix's hit Tiger King to Carmen in a new production on social media app TikTok.

       Using the popular short-form video platform, the ENO has produced an opera in five 60-second parts based on the hit Netflix documentary series Tiger King, about US big-cat owner Joe Exotic.

       The "TikTopera", produced with a 40-person chorus and orchestra and featuring music from Carmen, attempts to dispel the artform’s “elitist” image by reimagining classics “for our social media age”.

       The musical medley has been released ahead of the release of Tiger King 2, which launches on November 17 on Netflix.

       Netflix confirmed it made a payment to the ENO for the organisation's time, as well as to TikTok creators.

       Stuart Murphy, the chief executive of the ENO, said: "I think people sometimes worry that opera is elitist and you need to have stamina to sit through several hours of it.

       "I hope for some this will be an introduction to opera for the first time and they'll love it and it will become a lifelong passion.

       "The English National Opera is all about popularising huge and dramatic stories in the most entertaining way.”

       Other high art institutions have been turning to TikTok recently, with The Royal Opera House launching its own TikTok channel in 2020 in an attempt to reach “younger audiences”.

       The National Gallery this year partnered with Hasbro, the ￡4 billion multinational that owns the rights to My Little Pony in an interactive exhibition promoting the children's cartoon, which like Tiger King was also released on Netflix.